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New Philadelphia Eagles-Themed Live Blackjack Game at Unibet
In a busy day of news for the Evolution brand yesterday, the firm also announced that it has launched a new and exclusive casino game on Unibet’s online casino, sports betting and poker platform. UniBet is partnered with the Philadelphia Eagles and to celebrate that partnership, Evolution has created an Eagle’s themed live Blackjack title called Eagles Live Dealer Blackjack.
The Philadelphia Eagles, and American Football team, will face Tampa Bay in a playoff match tomorrow, making the timing of this branded release perfect for Blackjack fans. Evolution and UniBet will hope that it proves a good omen and that the Eagles continue their rich vein of form and make it to the Super Bowl.
Evolution-Owned NetEnt Launches Popular Slot in the Licensed US States
While Evolution has a firm hold on the live casino scene in states where online casino gambling is legal, its other brands are pushing to do the same thing in the slots sphere. NetEnt, Red Tiger Gaming and Big Time Gaming have been releasing some of their best titles into the US iGaming market over the past months and years. NetEnt, which claims the US is now its primary market, just yesterday launched another hugely popular video slot. Codex of Fortune was first released in most markets in June last year, but now US players can access it for the first time.


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- McDonald's announced on Wednesday that it was creating a new role focused on franchisee diversity, according to leaked internal documents viewed by Business Insider.
- Bill Lowery will be promoted to the newly created role of vice president of operator diversity and ombudsman, according to an internal memo from McDonald's US President Joe Erlinger.
- The creation of the role follows pushback from minority franchisees, with Business Insider publishing an investigation into the difficulties faced by black operators at McDonald's on Monday.
- Read Business Insider's full investigation into the disparities between McDonald's black franchisees and their white counterparts here.
- Sign up for Business Insider's retail newsletter, The Drive-Thru, to get more stories like this in your inbox.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
McDonald's has created a new role centered on diversity among its 1,700 franchisees in the US.
On Wednesday, the company announced that Bill Lowery — who has been serving as McDonald's ombudsman — will be promoted to the newly created role of vice president of operator diversity and ombudsman, reporting directly to Joe Erlinger, the president of McDonald's US business.
Erlinger said in an internal memo viewed by Business Insider that the promotion was in response to hearing that "we need additional resources in Franchising."
"In this role, Bill will act as the liaison between owner/operator diversity groups and the McDonald's US Leadership team, driving synergy between owner/operator needs and the US business strategy," Erlinger wrote. "This is especially important in helping me keep a pulse on the US system."
According to the memo, Lowery "will create several critical roles to support this important work." He will also continue his work resolving conflicts in his role as ombudsman.
McDonald's confirmed the promotion and declined to comment further.
McDonald's has faced pushback from minority franchisees in recent years
Franchisees, including members of the National Black McDonald's Owners Association (NBMOA), have pushed back against disparities at the fast-food giant in recent years. On Monday, Business Insider published an investigation highlighting franchisees' concerns.
NBMOA documents show that in 2012, black franchisees' cash flow was, on average, $24,600 lower per month than the average cash flow of all McDonald's restaurants. In 2017, the cash-flow gap had grown to about $60,600, according to NBMOA documents. Business Insider was unable to obtain official updated figures for 2018 or 2019, but two franchisees said the gap has since grown to about $68,000.
Franchisees said they were concerned that the number of black franchisees was shrinking, going from 261 at the end of 2014 to fewer than 200 today. Overall franchisee count also shrank during the same period, going from 2,100 to about 1,700, according to franchisee groups' internal documents.
Franchisees have been demanding that McDonald's take action.
"These things are not things that have happened just yesterday," Ken Manning, a black former McDonald's franchisee who sold his locations in 2017, told Business Insider.
"These things are historical in a lot of cases," Manning said. "When we meet every four, five, six times a year on this issue, and you meet year over year and nothing ever changes, then that becomes the definition of insanity — doing the same thing over and over and over. And you see no change or very little change."
McDonald's said in a statement to Business Insider in November that it "is among our top priorities that all McDonald's franchises in all communities have the opportunity to prosper, grow and achieve their business ambitions."
It added: "These efforts are rooted in our core belief that diversity and a vibrant, inclusive, and respectful McDonald's makes us stronger. McDonald's is proud to create opportunities for entrepreneurship, economic growth, and mobility in communities across the country."
Since Chris Kempczinski replaced Steve Easterbrook as the CEO of McDonald's in a shocking executive shake-up in November, the company's leadership team has been internally emphasizing the importance of diversity and corporate ethics.
On Monday, McDonald's announced that the company elected WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to its board of directors, a move that Chairman Enrique Hernandez Jr. said underscored the company's "commitment to diversity at all levels." McDonald's insiders said Kempczinski has spent his first month on the job pushing a renewed emphasis on corporate values, speaking internally on the importance of doing "the right thing each and every day."
If you're a McDonald's employee or franchisee with a story to share, reach out at email@example.com or on the Signal app at +1 646-768-4740. I'm also available via Twitter DM at @Kate_H_Taylor or on the phone at 646-768-4740 — no PR pitches, please.
- McDonald's black franchisees are fighting to earn as much as their white counterparts, as dozens leave the company they once considered family
- The inside story of how McDonald's ex-CEO's push to modernize the chain left black franchisees behind
- McDonald's new CEO is tackling the fast-food giant's reputation problem from the inside
- McDonald's franchisees' leaked memos reveal what they actually think about a controversial exec's unexpected promotion to CEO

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LG on Tuesday unveiled its latest flagship smartphone, the G4. The official launch followed weeks of leaks about the device’s design and features.
The G4 has an f1.8 aperture lens; a new IPS Quantum display, which is generally seen in the latest TVs; a body curved in LG’s “Slim Arc” design; and six genuine leather color options, the company confirmed.
Its rear 16-MP camera has a manual mode and comes with a color spectrum sensor that improves color accuracy — a smartphone technology first, according to LG. It has an 8-MP front camera.
The G4 has a new, human-centric user interface, UX 4.0. It runs Android Lollipop.
“I think this is a great Android smartphone that’s going to be lost in the conversation if LG doesn’t make a lot of noise about it,” said Ramon Llamas, a research manager at IDC.
“It’s got some cool features, but it’s not the only one in that conversation,” he told TechNewsWorld. “Other phones have an f1.8 lens and let users keep their shutter open longer to take pictures.”
“Will it lead LG to the front of the class?” Llamas asked. “I’m not sure.”
Tech Specs and Other Stuff
The G4 has a 5.5-inch Quad HD screen with 2560 x 1440 resolution and 1500:1 contrast.It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 processor, and it supports 4G LTE, WiFi and Bluetooth.It has a user-replaceable 3,000 mAh battery, and it supports microSD cards of up to 2 TB capacity.
The manual mode lets users set ISO, aperture and shutter speed, and even create images in RAW format.
Software that lets users easily transfer files to PCs or Macs is included, which might be a plus, because Google’s Android File Transfer doesn’t work well on Macs, some reviewers have pointed out.
LG offers real leather cases “unlike the fake leather used by some other makers whom I shan’t name,” Llamas noted. “This is one of those things that will keep it in the conversation for high-end devices.”
The LG G4 will be available at all major U.S. carriers by the end of May. However, each carrier will have its own version of the device. Pricing has not been disclosed.
Battling the Competition
Reviews of the G4 generally have been positive, although some question its size — it’s noticeably larger than the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the iPhone 6.
The removable battery and the SD card play well against the Samsung Galaxy S6, which lacks both.
Still, LG will be hard pressed to take on Samsung — or, for that matter, Apple — because it doesn’t have a big enough war chest to fund a sustained, large-scale marketing program.
“Because all the specs look the same, the devices for the most part look the same, and their availability on carriers is very similar, it’s very difficult to stand out unless you have some key points of differentiation,” Llamas said.
Taking a Wider Point of View
Perhaps LG should look beyond just offering the smartphone as a communications device. For example, “how is LG going to make it easier for me to interface with my other electronics such as tablets and TVs?” Nguyen asked.
“I think it’s important to their larger strategy to articulate how their smartphone can integrate with systems from other vendors,” he said. “You don’t have to offer the full ecosystem; you just have to recognize consumers have a very heterogeneous ecosystem and cater to that.”


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The French car manufacturer Bugatti survived 2 world wars. Can it outlast the electric crusade?
Does every automaker have to drive electrically?
Industry trends and government regulations point in this direction. No more Naturally aspirated engines. No more turbochargers. Actually no more engines. Instead, mute vans roll happily on the streets and highways of the city, the roar, bark and crack of internal combustion engines is a distant memory.
Not so fast.
The famous French car manufacturer Bugatti has been building high-performance racing cars since 1909. There are no plans to replace the brand’s deafening, rocket-like quad-turbo 16-cylinder engines with electric motors.
Volkswagen AG, the auto company that Bugatti owns, recently stepped up its electric vehicle efforts and reportedly could one new owner for the brand. Can Bugatti’s thirsty 8.0-liter engines harmonize with Volkswagen’s electrification strategy?
“Customers don’t ask for electric Bugattis,” Cedric Davy, Bugatti of the Americas’ chief operating officer, told ABC News. “We live and breathe the W16 [engine]. Many customers say, âThis may be my last chance to own the legendary W16. I don’t know what’s next. ‘”
In June, Bugatti presented the new $ 3.9 million Chiron Super Sport, the newest member of the Chiron family, which was launched in 2016 and replaced the Veyron supercar. The Chiron Super Sport’s 8.0 liter W16 engine delivers 1,577 horsepower and 1,180 lb-ft of torque and has an electronically limited top speed of 273 mph. Redline occurs at 7,100 rpm.
Last year, Bugatti unveiled the $ 4 million Chiron Pur Sport, an unadulterated 1,479 horsepower animal that’s raw, loud, nimble, and designed with shorter gear ratios for faster acceleration and cornering. The fixed wing in the tail spans more than 6 feet in diameter and creates more downforce than previous Chirons. Only 30 Super Sports are produced; 60 for pure sport.
“The Pur Sport is not a rocket that someone puts wheels on,” said the long-time Bugatti test driver Butch Leitzinger to ABC News. “This car is supposed to work for you. I can talk until I’m blue in the face about how easy it is to drive, but nobody believes me and neither should they.”
Bugatti’s Chiron Super Sport 300+ shook the automotive community in 2019 when test driver and Le Mans winner Andy Wallace made history with the car. The slightly modified 1,600 bhp Chiron reached 304,773 mph, the first car to ever reach a speed of over 300, an incredible feat of engineering. The Chiron Super Sport 300+ was immediately declared the “fastest sports car in the world”.
Despite Bugatti’s staggering pricing – over $ 3 million per vehicle – and the COVID-19 pandemic, the company reported record first-quarter sales, shipping more vehicles between January and March than in the first three months of each year in the company’s modern history. Davy said that Pur Sport in particular helped boost sales as 70% of Pur Sport owners in North America are new to the brand.
“It’s a more visceral driving experience and we’re seeing more drivers than collectors with the Pur Sport,” he said.
A Pur Sport owner in France clocked 2,000 miles the weekend he picked up the car, says Davy, proof that these rare vehicles offer comfort and convenience, as well as insane performance and speed.
“The cars are extremely reliable. There are customers with well over 10,000 miles on their Chirons,” he said.
Jason Cammisa, a veteran automotive journalist, said the Chiron could have been even more terrifying and superior with an electric or hybrid drive.
“The Chiron was a missed opportunity. If Bugatti had looked far enough ahead, they would have known that electrification means incredible acceleration values,” he told ABC News. “Gas engines are being abolished by law and it is in Bugatti’s interest to go electric.”
Cammisa determined that the $ 130,000 Tesla Model S plaid sedan, which slings occupants from zero to 60 mph in a reported 1.99 seconds, will knock a Chiron down on the track – a problem for Bugatti and other automakers relying on their performance praise to sell cars.
“There’s no Chiron buyer who comes out of there and isn’t impressed,” he said. “The acceleration of the plaid is painful, terrible, sickening. In the real world, this thing is a magic trick.”
Erin Minoff, a specialist in the auto division of Bonhams in New York, said every industry has its “moment of terror”. However, unlike mainstream brands, Bugatti doesn’t try to sell a lot of cars or to please a lot of people, he said.
“Bugatti has other motivations than what Ford, Mercedes and even Rolls-Royce are trying to pursue,” he told ABC News. “Nobody buys a Bugatti or any super sports car because they are looking for an efficient means of transport or because they are an environmentalist.”
Jalopnik editor-in-chief Rory Carroll doubts Bugatti will turn its business model upside down to accommodate government policy. Volkswagen had greater ambitions for the ailing brand when it acquired the rights to Bugatti in May 1998, he argued.
“Bugatti was practically a dead brand when Volkswagen bought it and was revived to build a car that would break a speed record and do it comfortably,” he told ABC News. “Bugatti demonstrates technical ability and attracts talent for the VW Group.”
Cammisa and Minoff both pointed out that the most in-demand toy for the super-rich right now is non-electric or even a hybrid. It’s a six-speed manual, mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, lightweight, high-speed supercar that develops 650 hp from a naturally aspirated V12 engine at 12,100 rpm. The T.50, the latest creation from Gordon Murray, the brilliant designer of the famous McLaren F1, costs $ 2.6 million and all 100 units sold out within 48 hours Prototype debut.
“There were several bespoke EV hypercars – Rimac and Pininfarinas Battista – and nobody wanted one,” said Cammisa.
Bugatti surprisingly survived two world wars, workers’ strikes, the deaths of its founder Ettore Bugatti and his son Jean Bugatti, the designated heir of the company, the sale of the Molsheim plant, bankruptcy and multiple owners. But the biggest threat to its existence could be the electric motor. However, Bugatti has an “enduring pull” that Carroll says will drive fans to want more from the company in the years to come.
“An electrified Bugatti – that is not the point of the brand,” he said. “There is something very human about Bugatti’s superlatives and achievements. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bugatti never built an electric vehicle.”
Minoff added, âEnthusiasts want the fastest, most instinctive machine they can buy. Electric vehicles are like household appliances. Bugatti will continue to build these hyper-luxury super sports cars. “


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August 19, 2015 - 11:30 AM
PENTICTON - Earlier this week, the massive burger chain A&W produced a commercial about a stunt on the Penticton channel. Now a home-grown competitor has one-upped the big guys in style: Elvis style.
Ralph "Relvis" Ramsay, owner of Houndogs at the mid-way point on the Penticton channel produced a high-quality commercial celebrating ten years in the business where you can get hot dogs, smokies and even bannock perogies all while listening to the Elvis impersonator. It's a rare blend of cool visuals and his own larger-than-life personality.
Which commercial do you think is better?
To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at email@example.com or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email firstname.lastname@example.org or call 250-718-2724.
News from © InfoTel News Ltd, 2015


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New Delhi: The country's top two carmakers Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai said they sold over 45,000 units on Dhanteras today.
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd deliveries on Dhanteras is expected to be around 30,000 vehicles, a company official said.
"This is around 20 per cent more than last year," the official added.
Likewise, Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) also reported good sales on Dhanteras, considered auspicious for making new purchases.
"This Dhanteras, the customers have done heightened purchases with deliveries of 15,153 Hyundai cars, growth of 26 per cent over last year," HMIL Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing Rakesh Srivastava told PTI.
He further said: "We expect to have 50,000-plus deliveries for the full month, making this festival season as the best in the last couple of years."
Good monsoons, better consumer sentiments and 7th Pay Commission award have fuelled demand for automobiles....


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Members of the Santa Fe County Planning Commission are expected to review the positive recommendations of a hearing officer regarding plans for the construction of a travel center/truck stop that could go up at the New Mexico State Road 14 and Cerrillos Road interchange.
For months, residents living near where the proposed Pilot Flying J project would be built have packed public meetings and asserted that the facility, to be built on part of a 26-acre site, was inappropriate for the area.
Concerns have been expressed regarding potential traffic that the travel center would generate, as well as its impact on air, light, and noise pollution.
In an effort to find a resolution to the question, the commission in January appointed Santa Fe attorney Nancy Long, a former member of that body, to study the pros and cons of the project.
Long has now submitted her findings to the commission, stating that the conceptual plan for the travel center is in keeping with Santa Fe County’s Sustainable Land Development Code.
Long additionally noted that the application for the project, submitted by the land planning firm Hames W. Siebert and Associates of Santa Fe, had adequately addressed lighting, landscape, utilities, and road design issues, while also producing required environmental impact, water use, and traffic impact reports according to county standards.
The commission is scheduled to review the project’s conceptual plan on March 15.
As proposed, the travel center will comprise some 10 acres of the 26-acre site, with the rest being set aside for future retail and hotel construction.
There are currently more than 550 Pilot Flying J travel centers operating in the U.S. and Canada. Those centers are typically open 24 hours and offer a variety of fast food restaurant choices as well as laundry rooms and showers.
By Garry Boulard
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With an ideal combination of hardware and software components, Google’s determined team working on Daydream VR platform for Android will let you experience high quality VR on your phones. Google will certify certain phones to be ‘Daydream Ready’ along with certain specifications to make sure the desired level of performance is being delivered to the users. But, company has also confirmed that today’s top end phones also don’t qualify for the same.
Google’s VR chief Clay Bavor introduced ‘Daydream’ Android VR platform last week only which will include specially designed cell phones, headsets, and applications that will have to work together to deliver a high quality mobile VR experience on Android.
Users interested in VR on Android should hold on for this tempting upgrade as Daydream Ready handsets will be in the market by this fall as promised by Bavor.
Bavor wants to hold the quality bar way too high this time. To ensure this, all the components need to be just right so that there are no ‘Retroactive’ Daydream-ready phones. Google also recommends Nexus 6P as the phone of your choice to be the DIY Daydream dev but, nothing officially has been confirmed so far.
The company hasn’t made the specifications for a Daydream-ready eligible smart phone clear but they did give an overview which is amazing to know that the specifications definitely include essential Sensors to enhance the performance of your device in VR. Sensors are an important part of your phone as they are used to tell the orientation of the device and are also useful for some basic mobile gaming. To experience Virtual Reality to a great extent, sensors have to give high and calibrated performance which is essential for high accuracy head tracking.
The second major thing that you will notice is High Resolution which means there will be less visibility of pixels that you notice when you magnify your screens. It will also have an ultra-high refresh rate which reduces motion blur during head movement to a great extent.
Daydream will require Smartphone users to install Android N as software which will balance the handsets processing power to keep them from overheating as it demands heavy processing by VR. The user will be able to handle notifications and phone calls without interrupting your experience.
Handsets will be not only be equipped with powerful CPU but also with a GPU that wont overheat too quickly under load as VR experience requires an output at 60 FPS.
So, as Bavor says, to VR fans to hold on for few more months to get this high quality Daydream-ready phone.


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Anup Vikal, chief financial officer of online retailer Snapdeal and general counsel of its parent firm Jasper Infotech Pvt. Ltd, has resigned, a company spokesperson said.
Vikal will be joining Essar Oil, the refining arm of Essar Group that was sold to a consortium led by Russia's Rosneft, as CFO, people aware of the development told VCCircle.
"It has been a privilege to lead the finance and legal teams at Snapdeal through a series of intense and crucial activities around divestments, profitability and investor relations... I am confident that Snapdeal will continue to lead in its journey of efficient and profitable growth," Vikal said.
Vikal joined Snapdeal in October 2015, taking over from Aakash Moondhra. He previously served as CFO at telecom firm Aircel. Prior to Aircel, he had a short stint at budget carrier IndiGo’s parent InterGlobe Enterprises, and spent a few years at telecom and data services multinational Colt Technology. He was part of Bharti Airtel’s finance team for around seven years before joining Colt. He is a mechanical engineer from NIT, Surat, and a business administration graduate from South Gujarat University.
“Anup has done sterling work at Snapdeal, building high levels of governance and helping structure various transactions of importance... He has led the finance function with distinction, contributing immensely in furthering the profitability initiatives,” Kunal Bahl, chief executive and co-founder of Snapdeal, said.
The development was first reported by The Economic Times.
Vikal’s departure comes after the four-member founding team of Unicommerce eSolutions Pvt. Ltd, Snapdeal’s technology solutions arm, quit in August. Ankit Pruthi, Karun Singla, Vibhu Garg and Manish Gupta were with the company for a stipulated period as per the terms of acquisition of Unicommerce by Snapdeal in 2015.
Unicommerce’s co-founders left the firm after Snapdeal called off its months-long merger talks with Flipkart. The e-tailer opted to tweak its business model, cut costs and slash headcount in a bid to revive its fortunes.
Snapdeal witnessed a string of top-level exits soon after the merger talks fell through, besides increased employee attrition. Its vice president of product Pradeep Desai, vice president of engineering Viraj Chatterjee, and head of IT Gaurav Gupta quit the company, news agency ANI had reported in early August.
Digvijay Ghosh and Rahul Jain, business heads of FMCG and general merchandise divisions, respectively, had resigned too, the report added.
After calling off the merger talks with Flipkart towards the end of July, Snapdeal founders Bahl and Rohit Bansal wrote to the company’s employees explaining their decision and how they planned to turn Snapdeal around. “We firmly believe in our new direction – Snapdeal 2.0 – part of which is a laser focus on being a champion for all sellers in India, enabling anyone to set up a store online in a few minutes and focusing on providing large selection of products at great prices to consumers,” they had said in a letter to Snapdeal’s employees.
In February, the e-tailer had laid off 500-600 employees across the e-commerce marketplace and its subsidiaries, mobile wallet FreeCharge and logistics wing Vulcan Express.
The company had sold its digital payments arm FreeCharge to private-sector lender Axis Bank for Rs 385 crore ($60 million) in July.
Last month, VCCircle had exclusively reported that Snapdeal injected $23.7 million into its logistic arm Vulcan Express, which the e-commerce firm wants to sell off as well to fund its marketplace platform. VCCircle had reported that Vulcan Express received $5.68 million (Rs 36.5 crore) from Jasper Infotech in June.
Earlier this month, Quickdel Logistics, the parent of e-commerce-focused logistics firm GoJavas, sent a legal notice of Rs 300 crore (around $45.9 million) to Snapdeal founders Bahl and Bansal and Jasper Infotech.
Snapdeal stole confidential business information such as data on employees and service vendors, The Times of India reported quoting Anand Rai, who had acquired Snapdeal’s stake in GoJavas and merged it with his Pigeon Express.
Snapdeal held a 49% stake in GoJavas and the founders of the company had sold it to Rai in a fire sale in August 2016.


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Payoneer Sees An Innovative Future For SMBs
India's businesses particularly have the ingenuity, creativity, and the drive to make a mark on the global economy and that is why Payoneer here is making the investment and serving the customers
As new technologies and globalization reduce the importance of economies of scale in many activities, the potential bestowal of smaller businesses is stronger, with many of them being pioneers of ingenious solutions. The global pandemic has enervated the economies around the world, and the analysts forecasted that it will take years for a full recovery in certain regions. But amidst all this economic fluctuations, Payoneer, as a key player in the sector, has a different take.
In the payments and settlement sector, India maintains an exceptionally better position. It is considered to be a leader worldwide. But to remain consistently at this bright spot requires many more things. John Caplan, the co-CEO of Payoneer, believes India's innovation is extraordinary. He pointed out that the major reason behind this is the Digital India programme wherein money moves way faster in the country which consequently brought growth for exports in particular and there is also a substantial opportunity in cross-border trade.
"We are playing here because exports are really the lifeblood of the fastest growing global economies and for small businesses, in particular, cross-border small businesses grow faster than domestic-only small businesses globally," said Caplan, while stating the cyclical establishment procedures to where the ultimate growth of the sector leads
Based on the market analysis of the sector, India's fintech sector incorporates over 20 unicorns now. It is valued at $31 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow to $84 billion by 2025 at a CAGR of 22 per cent.
Gaurav Shisodia, country head (India) at Payoneer, said, "A lot of these innovations are happening at the domestic level and not necessarily cross border level. In this scenario, we have established a network of over 191 countries, making these human seamless transfers fast, effectively fast in our heart of what we really want to build an enterprise-grade product for a reason."
Every business aspires to be there in the global platform and payment is one of the factors that need to be solved yet because it seems to be expensive. To reduce the gap of this affordability is what Payoneer aims at., in such a competitive field; the company is working to make it more cost efficient.
In a point of fact, global currencies are a very powerful thing for an entrepreneur here in India. But also, to uplift the SMBs inorder to reduce the gap of affordability, Caplan mentioned the services that Payoneer provides. In his words, "We have a trusted brand; we are a listed public company regulated globally. So, we are in a position to provide superior service to the SMBs around the world, whether they are in India or frankly in South America or other parts of the world, consistently the most successful SMBs choose us for trust, the quality of our network and the speed and efficiency.
When asked whether the company understood the needs and funding requirements of the SMBs from its working experience with Alibaba and also if there has been any change in the company's decision making and innovation based on being here for a while, Caplan responded that, "We are a customer-first company right. And some of the innovations that our team has put in place here in India have been the result of listening to our SMBs, whether it's the service that is here in India that is the result of the request of our customers."
He also added that India's businesses particularly have the ingenuity, creativity, and the drive to make a mark on the global economy and that is why Payoneer here is making the investment and serving the customers.
Diving more into India's role in this ecosystem, Shisodia also shared the experience where the learning from India helped in Payoneer's successful innovation and also explained about the Payoneer Pathshala, a program built to focus and study more about the ecommerce sector inorder to expand globally, at the time when Indians were not evolved as they are now in the ecommerce sector.
Caplan shared his insights regarding this as, "As per some research, it is found that 91 per cent of Indian sellers plan to expand their businesses globally, which is a remarkable number. Because 91 per cent means basically every single Indian seller wants to do the business cross border.
While sharing the Payoneer's foresights and the company's upcoming offers for SMBs, John Caplan said that the initial step is to educate and empower SMBs.
"The ability for us now is to gather groups of hundreds or thousands of small businesses together to help them understand the opportunity about cross border trade, to help them get distribution channels, to introduce them to ways to scale and grow their businesses. This is a real focus. We are here to serve SMEs and to help them grow," he added.


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It took Microsoft eight years to update Xbox 360 to a next generation hardware so we will be surprised to see the Polaris based GPU in the Xbox One anytime soon. The Xbox One has been on hte market for just over a year now, and this is not the time Microsoft updates its hardware – it normally does it five years into the console lifecycle.
Xbox One Polaris
However, an overclock.net forum member has found a leak from a twitter user "blueisviolet" got his paws on a screen dump as proof. The screen dump indicates that there is a hardware and software version of the Xbox called Polaris. The device model of the mysterious device is called Xbox One Polaris with platform version NRDP 15.2 Polaris-222. The software running on that console is called Polaris-222.
Xbox One to slim down in 2H 2016
This sounds like a prototype and there is a big chance that this prototype will never end up in market. There is still a chance that Xbox One Polaris will end up in the slimmed down version of the Xbox One.
Even if Polaris becomes the Radeon 4000 generation with 14nm transistors as we suggested a long time ago, AMD would need the time install this on the 14nm APU.
Some people still think that a 14nm APU based on Polaris might happen in the second half of 2016 but we will have to wait a bit and see. Have in mind that 14nm APU inside of the slimmer Xbox One would produce less noise and will run with notably less energy.
Of course it is possible that Microsoft is worried about the domination of the console market by the new Playstation and wants to fight back. Issuing a surprise console with a new chip towards the end of the year might actually do that for Redmond. With the changes at Microsoft lately, anything is possible.


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Shares of social media platform Pinterest (PINS) - Get Free Report were little changed Wednesday after Loop Capital Markets analyst Rob Sanderson initiated coverage of the stock with a buy rating and a $29 price target.
The analyst said he was impressed with user growth at Pinterest, the online bulletin board.
“We think PINS is among the most interesting of the small- and mid-cap stocks in the U.S. Internet sector,” Sanderson wrote in a report. Pinterest has “great potential as an advertising and e-commerce platform.”
While Pinterest users don’t engage as much with the site as users of some other top social media sites, “the network is showing healthy user growth, with monthly average users up 28% in the third quarter,” Sanderson said.
“We think the nature of engagement on Pinterest is highly aligned with commerce, offering very strong monetization potential, and we think that making Pinterest shoppable is a major opportunity,” the analyst said.
Pinterest’s advertising business is just getting going, and average revenue per user is up 23% year to date, Loop Capital's Sanderson said.
There are “many growth drivers ahead,” he wrote. “If the monetization curve continues to mirror early Facebook, this would imply a ramp to $8.5 billion in revenue by 2025, about double the Street expectation.”
The company could ultimately achieve EBITDA profit margins of 45% to 50%, Sanderson said. Pinterest reports earnings Thursday after the stock market closes.
At last check, Pinterest shares traded at $22.43, down 0.13%. The company’s stock has slumped 26% since going public last April.


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Ubisoft is pleased to announce today that Ghost Recon: Future Soldier will be getting a second DLC pack this September 11th on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC for $14.99.
Similar to the Arctic Strike DLC that Ubisoft released a couple of months ago, the new Raven Strike DLC will give players more content that they can enjoy in the game such as new missions and a new map for the Guerrilla Mode.
Here are the details to the Raven Strike DLC:
3 new missions in Campaign Mode
• Secure Dawn: a foggy marsh in Kazakhstan where the Ghosts will not be allowed access to advanced technology (no optical camouflage, drone or sensor grenade)
• Cold Walker: a train depot on the Russian countryside
• Argent Thunder: a nighttime urban setting in Moscow
1 new map in Guerrilla Mode
• Sawmill: face 50 waves of enemies on a foggy Russian countryside


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Are Local Governments Doing Enough to Manage Risk and Meet Citizen Expectations?
High profile breaches at Target, Home Depot, P.F. Chang’s, Staples, and many others have put credit card security in the spotlight. In a recent broadcast, 60 Minutes called 2014 the “year of the data breach.” That label might apply in 2015 as well, since the issue isn’t improving fast enough.
Cybercrime is increasing at an alarming rate with no sign of slowing down; cyber incidents quadrupled from 2008 to 2013. A report released in June, by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, estimated the likely annual cost of cybercrime and economic espionage to the world economy at more than $445 billion — or almost one percent of global income.
The consequences of a data breach to an individual organization are massive. For example, the direct costs of the December 2013 Target breach will top $1 billion. Of course, that cost doesn’t take into consideration the damage to Target’s reputation with the general public.
Many Target customers dealt with the hassle of having to closely monitor their credit and get their cards reissued. Approximately two million customers actually had their credit card information sold on black market web sites. Their tarnished image and a 46% drop in profits following the breach ultimately led to the resignation of Target’s CEO and other key executives.
While data breaches at large retailers garner most of the media attention, government agencies are also in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. Rapid7, a security intelligence company, reported that between January 2009 and May 2012, 94 million records were compromised in government data breaches. As was the case in the Target and Home Depot instances, many of these breaches can be traced directly to international crime syndicates in Russia, China, and Eastern Europe.
A mid-sized city in the Midwest recently had its website and databases hacked by a Turkish group targeting government sites; thereby compromising names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and possibly credit card data. It was embarrassing and costly for the city, which had to handle thousands of calls from frustrated citizens as well as deal with the negative press. What’s more, the city then had to expend time, resources and money to rectify the breach including free credit freezes (which, at $5 per person, add up very quickly) for the affected citizens.
Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated example. According to the Verizon 2014 Data Breach Investigations Report, breaches from malicious hacking, malware, and social engineering attacks have gone up a mind-boggling 500% in the last four years. The reasons for these increases are simple:
- Ineffective, easily penetrable security systems that leave businesses vulnerable;
- Highly profitable returns for criminals; and
- Understaffed, technologically-disadvantaged law enforcement unavailable and/or unable to apprehend and prosecute criminals.
The bottom line is that there are burgeoning numbers of cybercriminals out there and their numbers will continue to grow as opportunities increase. Like any offense, data breaches are a crime of opportunity; albeit a virtual one.
The Onus is on Local Governments
For local governments, it is incumbent that they secure their data above and beyond what other organizations implement. Citizens look to government agencies to provide safety, security, and stability. Consequently, these expectations put more focus and pressure on local governments. With the sheer volume of confidential data being handled, government agencies can’t afford such publicized data breaches; let alone break their citizens’ trust.
Because breaches are often crimes of opportunity, agencies would be wise to have security systems and policies in place that exceed industry norms in order to avoid becoming targets. In other words, it is akin to locking an office drawer to thwart theft. The criminal will just move onto the next office in the hopes that there is an unlocked drawer there.
Led by Visa and MasterCard, the credit card industry, has issued a set of security standards, PCI DSS, to protect themselves, merchants, and cardholders for fraud and theft. Short for Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS), PCI DSS is the standard by which all organizations must adhere when storing, processing and transmitting their customers’ credit card data.
PCI DSS security standards are enforced at four levels. Those organizations processing over six million transactions annually are required to achieve the highest level of payment card security - which is Level 1 Compliance. Local government agencies typically are not required to operate with Level 1 Compliance, putting them at greater risk of a breach than their larger, better-funded counterparts.
While Level 1 Compliance would be ideal for every organization including local governments, attaining compliance often requires a significant budget of approximately $500,000 and up. For some organizations, the annual cost of PCI compliance can exceed the benefit of taking credit cards in the first place.
Moreover, local government agencies often do not have the same financial resources or specialized staff that larger business do. As attacks on larger organizations are met with more sophisticated defenses, it makes sense that attackers will focus their efforts on organizations such as local government agencies, which often lack the budget for a dedicated security expert or specialized security technologies.
PCI DSS standards are comprehensive and far-reaching, addressing security vulnerabilities across the entire business. As you’d expect, modern technologies are a critical component of effective security. Adequate firewall protection, data encryption, data storage, and intrusion monitoring are paramount and logical first steps for all organizations.
Leaving a Door Unlocked for Cybercriminals
Since the majority of breaches are attributed, in some part, to “inside” activities, it is also important to have comprehensive internal processes in place, as well as controls that address physical, facility-level security. PCI DSS requires approved, well-documented plans, specifying which employees (and contractors) are allowed access to both physical and virtual locations where sensitive data is stored. Attackers have gotten very adept at “phishing” via unsuspecting employees in an attempt to get information or gain network access.
It’s not enough to just define and document these policies. PCI DSS requires essential personnel to be thoroughly trained in the appropriate security practices. Every employee must be briefed on the proper procedures and policies (changing passwords frequently, ensuring password strength, taking care not to lose laptops, reporting stolen company laptops to the company’s security department as soon as possible, etc.) as well. Additionally, raising awareness of potential scenarios where their information could be compromised or when they may be duped into a phishing scam can go a long way towards thwarting such breaches. Company data is only as safe as the policies and procedures you enforce with your employees and contractors. Cybercriminals only need one door unlocked to infiltrate an entire network.
Such a door was left unlocked in the Target breach when an off-site worker was given remote network access to perform efficiency updates on HVAC software. Somehow the worker’s credentials (i.e., username and password) were compromised and the hackers were able to use this digital pathway to install destructive malware across the entire retail network, allowing them to siphon credit card data as cards were swiped at the point-of-sale (POS).
Minimize your Burden and Offload Risk
Cybercriminals will continue to find new and innovative ways to attack networks, and security practices will need to evolve to protect sensitive customer and payment data. In fact, a new set of PCI DSS 3.0 security requirements were published this year with compliance required by January 1, 2015. Additional rules and regulations also play an important role in protecting customer information, such as the Red Flag Rules for Identity Theft Protection and NACHA regulations that protect customer payments made from checking and savings accounts.
The changing security and compliance landscape can make it difficult for local governments to keep up. For example, as breaches increase in frequency, breach detection software that actively detects breaches as they are occurring is becoming more important. According to the 2013 Trustwave Global Security Report, the average duration from the time a breach occurs to the time it is detected is 210 days, making real-time active breach detection a valued tool in breach protection. Unfortunately, most agencies don’t have the budget to consider these types of tools.
Many municipalities and utility billing organizations are turning to third-party Hosted Payment Vendors to host and maintain a complete payment infrastructure. Much like an insurance policy, businesses can shift risk and liability away from themselves and onto an outsourced vendor who will take responsibility for the payment infrastructure as well as much of the burden of PCI Compliance.
As local governments consider Hosted Payment Vendors, it is important to choose wisely. With proper due diligence, agencies can find the appropriate vendor to partner with. Primary considerations should be a vendor with a proven history of innovation in payment security and Level 1 PCI DSS 3.0 Certification.
Vigilance is Needed
According to the Cost of Data Breach Survey from Symantec and the Poneman Institute, a security firm and research organization, respectively, the average cost of a data breach is $136.00 per exposed record – a significant expense when you add up all of your customers.
The best advice for any municipality is to be prepared. Do not take the “stick-your-head-in-the-sand” approach and allow yourself to be lulled into a false sense of security. The threat is real and increasing with frightening speed. While it isn’t possible to eliminate the threat, by being vigilant and consistent, which includes the right policies, systems, and partners, local governments can minimize their risk.
About the Author
John Schott is the Vice President of Customer Experience at the Paymentus Corporation, a Hosted Billing and Payment Provider with over 700 local government customers across North America. Paymentus is a proven innovator in secure electronic billing and payment technologies.


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Passport launches Motu, a new parking app for Grand Rapids
App makes parking easier, more convenient
Grand Rapids, Mich. (June 21, 2018) — Residents and visitors of Grand Rapids can take ahold of how they spend time around the city with a new on-street parking payment app, Motu. The app, developed by Passport, the global leader of mobile payments for parking and transit, provides an easy way to extend parking time. Inside the app, a few quick taps on the user’s smartphone screen can lengthen leisure time — up to two hours in most locations.
The Motu app is a change from Grand Rapids’ previous app provider, Parkmobile. In addition to paying for parking, the Motu app has a customized design for Grand Rapids and allows drivers to monitor their parking sessions, view payment history and receive email receipts. Drivers can even extend parking time at no additional cost.
“As a growing city, Grand Rapids is seeking to get ahead of its increasing population trends, the housing market and future mobility demands,” said Josh Naramore, manager of the City’s Mobile GR and Parking Services. “With the Motu app, the City can continue to support growth and activity, while staying true to its environmentally friendly initiatives.
“When you’re on the go as much as our community you want an app that can get you where you’re going quickly. Motu offers a type of convenience that appeals to both residents and visitors.”
Passport executive Tom Wiese said, “This partnership with the City of Grand Rapids is an important one to us. First, it shows the community that paying for parking doesn’t have to be a burdensome task. With the right app it can be effortless. Secondly, this expansion in Michigan continues to display the work we’ve done in the state and will continue to do as a parking payment provider, making parking in the City of Grand Rapids a breeze.”
Passport is the industry’s leading mobile technology solution specializing in enterprise business applications and payments for the public and private sectors. In Michigan, it is the No. 1 mobile pay provider with millions of transactions per year. The auto capital’s mobile pay parking app, ParkDetroit, is designed and powered by Passport. Other Passport-managed apps include Michigan State University’s SpotOn app and Ann Arbor’s ePark app. The University of Michigan of Ann Arbor, the University of Michigan of Dearborn, and the cities Flint and St. Joseph, also use Passport’s PassportParking® app. The Motu app is free to download through the App Store or Google Play. Users can also manage their parking at motu.ppprk.com.
Passport transforms the way cities manage their operations. The fintech company’s mobile-first platform has been adopted by more than 450 cities, universities, and private operators around the world in cities including Chicago, Toronto, London, and Miami, across more than 5,000 locations. Passport’s product lines —– parking, transit and tolling payments, parking enforcement, and permit management —– enable organizations in the public and private sectors to streamline their operations, enhance customer service, and make data-driven decisions. Consistently recognized as one of the fastest growing companies and Best Places to Work in Charlotte, North Carolina, Passport has an ingrained practice of putting People First —– a guiding principle in its Culture.
Passport is backed by a group of investors, including Bain Capital Ventures, Grotech Ventures, MK Capital and Relevance Capital. Learn more, or get in touch with Passport at passportinc.com.


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Ebbing trade growth and low freight rates are pushing Asian shipping lines into a war of attrition. To survive, the companies are scurrying to seal merger deals or strike up loose alliances. But the war has already claimed a major casualty -- South Korea's Hanjin Shipping -- and it may be only a matter of time until another player succumbs.
TOKYO In early September, disturbing reports emerged that ships owned by Hanjin Shipping, a big South Korean container line that collapsed in late August, were being kept at sea because of fears that their cargoes would be seized if they docked. The news came as a shock to Japanese shipping companies, in particular.
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British consumer spending picked up in November, boosted by earlier-than-usual Christmas shopping and a recovery in spending at pubs and restaurants before news of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, industry surveys showed.
The British Retail Consortium, a trade body representing major high-street retailers, said total sales in November were 5.0% higher than a year earlier, the biggest annual increase since July and up from an increase of 1.3% in October.
Separate credit and debit card data from payments provider Barclaycard showed consumer spending - which includes things such as eating out and travel, as well as shopping - was 16.0% higher than in November 2019, before the pandemic.
Consumer demand has been fairly resilient in Britain through the pandemic, as household incomes were supported by government measures. But there have been big shifts within sectors - with a large chunk of retail spending moving online, and only partly reversing when shops reopened.
Travel remains depressed, with spending on plane tickets 22.1% below its level two years ago. Restaurant spending was 4.3% down compared with November 2019, compared with an 8.3% shortfall in October, Barclaycard data showed.
Overall non-essential spending grew at its fastest rate since the start of the pandemic, up 17.7% from two years before.
Inflation Set To Pick Up
However, economists forecast that households' disposable income will become increasingly squeezed in coming months as inflation picks up further and payroll taxes rise from April, complicating the task of the Bank of England, which is due to consider whether to raise interest rates next week.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said November's boost in spending partly reflected Black Friday sales promotions beginning earlier in the month than previous years.
"As people prepared their wardrobes for the cold weather this winter, consumers took advantage of discounted clothing, shifting the focus of Black Friday from just electronics and household appliances," she said.
Like-for-like sales, a measure which adjusts for changes in retailers' floor space, were 1.8% higher than a year before, compared with a 0.2% drop in October.
Four in 10 consumers surveyed said that they were doing their Christmas shopping earlier than before, Barclaycard said.
"The arrival of Christmas markets and lights across the UK brought some festive cheer to the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors in November, while the return of darker nights and colder evenings saw Brits spend more on at-home pursuits," Barclaycard executive Jose Carvalho said.


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Uber’s second-quarter earnings revealed larger than anticipated losses, largely as a result of firm’s huge $250 million stimulus bundle launched in April to incentivize drivers again onto the app after a pandemic-induced scarcity.
The corporate reported a lack of $509 million earlier than EBITDA. For comparability, Lyft reported a constructive adjusted EBITDA within the quarter at $23.8 million the day earlier than. Uber’s losses level to a bigger downside going through the app-based ride-hailing business: The triple risk of lagging driver provide, the price of attracting them, and the COVID-19 delta variant looming within the periphery.
“Drivers more and more wish to get again on the street,” mentioned CEO Dara Khosrowshahi in the course of the earnings name on Wednesday. “In June, 60% of inactive drivers informed us they meant to start out driving once more inside a month. That’s up from 40% in April. And 90% of drivers informed us they count on to come back again by September. We’re additionally starting to see market metrics revert to normalcy in a number of markets with surge ranges and wait instances again to almost regular in Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Phoenix. However in main cities like New York, San Francisco and LA, demand continues to outpace provide and costs in late instances stay above our consolation ranges.”
Khosrowshahi mentioned Uber is anticipating the motive force momentum that has been selecting up over the previous few months to proceed, whilst Uber tapers off its “post-pandemic” incentives for drivers. However the factor is, the pandemic is much from over. Solely 50% of the U.S. inhabitants is absolutely vaccinated, and the CDC has mentioned the extremely contagious delta variant has brought about between 80% and 87% of all U.S. COVID-19 circumstances within the final two weeks of July. Many computer models predict case counts will peak someday between mid-August and early September, bringing as many as 450,000 every day circumstances.
Lockdowns haven’t been the one issues inflicting driver shortages: Drivers don’t wish to danger their lives throughout a pandemic for what is commonly argued to be meager pay. Uber’s losses and makes an attempt to draw extra drivers additionally come as the corporate is again on stage as a possible risk to gig staff’ labor rights. Uber is a part of a coalition of app-based ride-hailing and on-demand supply corporations that filed a petition this week to introduce a poll measure in Massachusetts that may outline drivers as impartial contractors, not workers — much like what occurred final yr in California with Proposition 22.
“I took the incentives that they used to get individuals again, and I believe most drivers which have any brains did the identical,” an Uber driver referred to as Jay who’s been driving since 2013 informed TechCrunch. “And as soon as the incentives ran out, I finished driving, as a result of I’m dropping cash once I drive for them now. They’ve lower the charges so low that it doesn’t make any sense anymore to work for them, and that’s why persons are having such a tough time getting an Uber. You’ve got these disgustingly out of contact billionaires operating this firm into the bottom.”
Regardless of these setbacks, Khosrowshahi — presumably one of many “out of contact billionaires” Jay references — went on to guarantee buyers that Uber expects to realize complete firm EBITDA profitability by the tip of the yr. Uber is hoping its investments in what it calls the “earner expertise” will assist retain staff.
“From doubling down on our app high quality to focused and personalised reengagement campaigns, to utterly redesigning our onboarding movement to make it simpler and quicker than ever to earn safely, to rolling out distinctive packages like free language studying from Rosetta Stone, or free tuition with ASU, our earner tremendous app is exclusive within the depth and breadth of earnings alternatives we will provide drivers and couriers globally,” he mentioned.
If mobility continues to take a success, because it has lately in cities like Sydney, Australia resulting from persistent lockdowns, Khosrowshahi says Uber can fall again on its different companies, like freight, Uber Eats and courier service. Khosrowshahi mentioned there’s been a pattern of Uber Eats and courier orders growing as rides lower.
Final November, Uber acquired on-line meals supply app Postmates, which the corporate says has resulted in almost 5 million further shoppers, 160,000 couriers and over 25,000 retailers migrating from Postmates to Uber Eats, in addition to serving to Uber set up itself as a class chief in Los Angeles and New York Metropolis.
Uber has additionally expanded into new verticals lately like grocery, comfort and alcohol supply, with U.S. gross bookings in June almost tripling from December 2020 ranges and doubling within the U.Ok. and France.
“The differentiator that we now have is the viewers and the Uber platform,” mentioned Khosrowshahi. “We had been really one of many newest gamers to construct up a supply enterprise, and we constructed it based mostly on the Uber model, the marketplace-matching know-how that we now have, the pricing know-how, routing, and many others. [ … ] We’ve obtained larger datasets than anybody else. We’re capable of practice our algorithms over a lot bigger international knowledge factors versus our opponents, which permit us to construct an identical, routing, incentives, advertising engine that’s extra personalised and simply has larger capabilities than anybody else.”
Khosrowshahi additionally famous that the corporate has ops groups on the bottom in each market so it may perceive the precise stock per market.
“All of it interprets into: Decrease value of buyer acquisition, increased lifetime worth, decrease overheads and larger tech capabilities. That’s the differentiator.”
Other than hitting its EBITDA targets by This fall, Khosrowshahi mentioned Uber expects complete firm gross bookings to be between $22 and $24 billion, and complete firm adjusted EBITDA to be higher than a lack of $100 million for Q3.
https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/05/how-uber-plans-to-rebound-from-massive-q2-losses-stemming-from-driver-incentives/How Uber plans to rebound from huge Q2 losses stemming from driver incentives – TechCrunch


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China Nonferrous Metals News
Last week, domestic magnesium prices continued to fall, approaching RMB12,000/t amid ongoing weak demand. As of 18th September, domestic magnesium ingot (99.9%) was quoted at RMB12,150~12,200/t in Fugu Shaanxi, with mainstream transactions closing at RMB12,100~12,150/t. Transaction prices were RMB12,400/t in Wenxi, Shanxi, a fall of RMB200/t from the previous Friday.
In the wake of a surge in coal prices, domestic magnesium smelters face rising production costs. Industry commentators are pessimistic about the market outlook, citing continued depressed demand and rising production costs.


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The Ardagh Group has developed a ‘Matte Impact’ effect steel can for Krombacher’s spiced lemonade, Fassbrause.
AkzoNobel recently released its new generation of coatings for the internal protection of three-piece food cans. Alex Fordham visited the company headquarters in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, to find out the potential benefits for the three-piece food can market.
Metal Packaging Europe has entered into a license agreement with food charity Canstruction.
Sun Chemical has announced that it will be expanding its portfolio with the acquisition of PPG’s metal deco ink business.
Konnekt Smartdrinks has chosen Ardagh’s shaped aluminium bottles to complete its range of wellness beverages.
According to Sacmi, equipping every machine with sensors that are innovative and compatible with existing plant engineering is its strategy for translating Industry 4.0 into practice.


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REP Provisions participated in The Kroger Innovation Summit. The Kroger Innovation Summit is an invite only event that includes a very highly curated set of brands that are potential game-changers and innovators in the natural foods space.
A record number of Americans are living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Obesity affects approximately 40% of the population which is a leading risk factor for developing diabetes. One in five Americans already has diabetes and one in three have pre-diabetes.


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Beyond the Saleyards: WA lamb prices held back because of kill space
Lamb prices improved last week on the east coast, but WA remains anchored by the number of lambs versus space available.
Forward prices for lambs remain positive into July with numerous contracts on the east above $7.50.
Freight from WA to Melbourne at the moment is around $1.60/kg hot score carcase weight, putting our market at around $6 when those buyers are present.
Spot prices in the east are closer to $6.80 to $7 which lines up with what most buyers in WA are paying for those with bookings.
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East coast mutton is being sold at $2.70 for lighter weights and slightly more for heavier sheep.
After freight, this puts their prices back in line with WA.
Interestingly, the on-farm price for the east coast market is similar to what’s being paid in saleyards before fees, indicating sellers, who have to sell, should consider looking for buyers willing to buy on farm versus through a saleyard.
Cattle markets are still active in WA.
Feedlots and traders are looking for cows at about $1.50/kg liveweight.
Local breeds are $2.30 or better for heifers, and $2.60 for steers.
Live export markets are also moving along with April orders at $3 for steers and $2.60 for heifers.
All prices quoted are available in the Agora Livestock Markets app — available free on the app stores.
Agora Livestock has recently released a marketplace for agents and farmers to list livestock for sale.
For more info call us on 1300 812 345 or visit agoralivestock.com.au/marketplace.
Rob Kelly is the founder and managing director of Agora Livestock, a free service with the latest sheep, cattle and goat price grids in one easy-to-use app.
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U.S. new vehicles being kept longer than ever, Polk says
By Danielle Emerson
American drivers are holding on to their new vehicles longer than ever — to nearly six years — a new study says. Research firm Polk, citing data compiled in September 2011, said U.S. consumers kept their new vehicles an average of 71.4 months — up 4.7 months from March.
[Sent from Ralph Paglia’s iPhone]
Vice President – Digital


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Iowa Restaurants Can Permanently Sell Alcoholic Beverages To-Go
According to a new article from KWWL, "Iowa lawmakers passed legislation Tuesday allowing restaurants to continue the selling of to-go alcoholic drinks." To-go cocktails have become increasingly popular these past few months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesses have been able to make much-needed money selling take-out alcoholic beverages, especially businesses that rely on alcohol for most of their sales. For example, there's ARI'Z in Waterloo.
ARI'Z is a martini bar located at 504 Sycamore Street. They just reopened for dine-in services at half capacity back on June 5th, but they've been able to stay in business with their carry-out options. The article from KWWL says that the to-go cocktails they have been offering brought in lots of new customers. Aurion Redding, the co-owner of ARI'Z, told the news outlet that some people aren't fans of going out. She said, "that's why to-gos worked so well for us, we picked up a bunch of customers we probably wouldn't of had."
The article also notes that over 30 states are allowing to-go cocktails right now, but only four of them are looking to make the allowance permanent. It is also important to remember that the drinks are for home consumption ONLY. No drinking in your car!
When my birthday came around back in early May, I was on the hunt for to-go margaritas. I discovered that many local Mexican restaurants are selling their margaritas in take-home containers. I ended up just buying a pre-made mix from the grocery store, but it's good to know that there are always options!
Have you ordered to-go drinks from any local restaurants? Let us know in the comments!
KEEP READING: 3-ingredient recipes you can make right now


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Procter & Gamble (P&G) has announced that its Duracell battery business will be split off as a separate brand as the company zooms in on its faster growing brands.
This comes as part of a massive streamlining exercise which P&G first announced in August this year. P&G had then said that the company will sell, discontinue, merge or eliminate up to 100 brands in the next two years as part of a cost-cutting exercise – focusing on its top 70 to 80 brands. These 70 to 80 brands that will remain have accounted for 90% of the company’s sales and more than 95% of its profit in the past three years as a smaller and less complicated company will be easier to operate.
Meanwhile according to an article on WSJ, the unit leads the battery market with US$2.2 billion in annual sales. P&G also said that its sales over the past three months has risen by 2% and grew in health care and baby, feminine and family care divisions. The company first acquired Duracell in 2005 as part of its US$57 billion purchase of Gillette. According to a BBC article, this was one of the largest acquisitions done by the company and currently the brand leads the battery segment.
Earlier last week, the company made public several leadership changes. The head of its North American business, Melanie Healey will retire next June, as the company puts together a new leadership team in an effort to revive weak sales growth. Other senior executives exiting include Filippo Passerini, chief information officer and head of global services; Jorge Uribe, global productivity officer; and Joanne Crewes, head of global prestige. Also leaving is P&G’s top salon professional executive Adil Mehboob-Khan, who has been tapped as eyewear-maker Luxottica’s new co-CEO.
The year has seen other major corporations also making major trims to their operations. Just recently, Hewlett-Packard announced that it will be splitting its computer and printing businesses, and data services into two separate entities. eBay also split from its mobile payment service PayPal and turned it into a separate company. Meanwhile, Dutch brand Royal Philips also announced that it would be tearing its lighting business from its healthcare and consumer divisions.


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It's a good problem to have and hopefully, a better problem for Sharon Springs:
After six years and two locations, Beekman 1802 has outgrown its space and is moving its corporate headquarters to Schenectady.
Owners Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge are also looking-locally and beyond-for a place to move their shipping and packing operations too.
Together, those efforts will allow Beekman 1802 to expand the couple's Main Street store, Mr. Kilmer-Purcell said Monday outside on the front steps of the shop, tractor and car traffic hurrying by, because there was no room to talk inside.
"Now you see what I mean," Mr. Kilmer-Purcell said as he squeezed past some of the business's 18-plus employees.
Upstairs, the shop's furniture showroom is only open weekends, when employees don't need it for workspace.
Downstairs, shipping and packing, where about 20 people work around the clock from mid-November to mid-December, is crowded into a small space behind the front counter and the basement is relegated to inventory space.
Mr. Kilmer-Purcell said the company realized a year ago that, based on continued growth, they needed more space.
They also needed to find a way to recruit-and keep-the kind of digital and e-commerce professionals Mr. Kilmer-Purcell and Mr. Ridge are not.
"We had offers to move our headquarters to Minneapolis, Orlando, Boston...but we're really committed to staying in Upstate New York," Mr. Kilmer-Purcell said.
Their search led them to the Electric City Innovation Center on State Street, Schenectady, where they'll become its first START-UP NY tenant in partnership with Schenectady County Community College.
"They put together an amazing package," Mr. Kilmer-Purcell said, adding that they worked with SUNY Cobleskill's Jason Evans to take advantage of START-UP NY space there, but couldn't find anything that worked.
With that piece of the puzzle taken care of, Mr. Kilmer-Purcell said they're now focusing on finding space for packing and shipping.
They've toured the former Guilford Mills in Cobleskill and looked at the former Landreth Seed building in Sharon Springs as well as a couple of other sites there, but haven't yet picked one, Mr. Kilmer-Purcell said.
"That end of the business really has very specific needs," he said, including access for large trucks and a loading truck.
"We were offered a very good deal [for space] in Schenectady and a pretty good deal in Cobleskill, but we really, really want to keep it in Sharon Springs," where they spent $180,000 on postage in 2015 and expect to spend $250,000 this year.
"We know how important post offices are to small rural communities."
Once packing and shipping finds a new home, Mr. Kilmer-Purcell said, they plan to turn that space into a Beekman Experience Space, where people would come for things like cooking or gardening lessons-even book clubs-something that would help bring traffic into downtown Sharon Springs.
"That's where the growth in tourism is," he said. "Experiences. We don't need museums [like Cooperstown's Hall of Fame]."
Upstairs, the furniture showroom will be open seven days a week and who knows what they'll be able to do with the basement, he said.
Mr. Kilmer-Purcell said the one thing he wants the community to know is that they're not leaving.
"We're not moving the shop or the farm, just the office," he said.
"We're doubling down on Sharon Springs. It takes a very special person to live here, and we're here for the long haul."


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Prestige Consumer Healthcare Inc. (NYSE:PBH – Get Rating) – Equities research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group lowered their Q1 2023 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Prestige Consumer Healthcare in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, June 23rd. Jefferies Financial Group analyst S. Wissink now expects that the company will earn $1.03 per share for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $1.05. Jefferies Financial Group currently has a “Buy” rating and a $70.00 target price on the stock. The consensus estimate for Prestige Consumer Healthcare’s current full-year earnings is $4.20 per share. Jefferies Financial Group also issued estimates for Prestige Consumer Healthcare’s Q2 2023 earnings at $1.04 EPS, Q3 2023 earnings at $1.06 EPS, FY2023 earnings at $4.18 EPS, Q1 2024 earnings at $1.07 EPS and Q3 2024 earnings at $1.12 EPS.
Several other analysts have also weighed in on the company. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Prestige Consumer Healthcare in a report on Thursday, March 31st. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Oppenheimer raised Prestige Consumer Healthcare from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $63.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Monday, May 9th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Prestige Consumer Healthcare presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $80.50.
NYSE:PBH opened at $58.90 on Friday. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $55.20 and its 200 day moving average is $56.85. Prestige Consumer Healthcare has a fifty-two week low of $50.40 and a fifty-two week high of $63.83. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.96 billion, a PE ratio of 14.03, a PEG ratio of 1.65 and a beta of 0.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 1.21 and a current ratio of 2.04.
Prestige Consumer Healthcare (NYSE:PBH – Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 5th. The company reported $0.91 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.89 by $0.02. Prestige Consumer Healthcare had a return on equity of 13.82% and a net margin of 18.90%. The company had revenue of $266.94 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $258.25 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.79 EPS. Prestige Consumer Healthcare’s quarterly revenue was up 12.3% compared to the same quarter last year.
A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Prestige Consumer Healthcare during the 4th quarter worth $26,000. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. grew its position in shares of …


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The Commercial Court number 1 of Madrid has sentenced Volkswagen Spain to pay more than 16 million euros (about 19.50 million dollars) among those injured by the manipulation of the diesel engines of the EA 189 family, a case known as “dieselgate”, by estimating that the installed “software” camouflaged the conditions of the polluting emissions of the vehicles.
In the ruling, which the subsidiary of the German automobile group, has already announced that it will appeal, the magistrate estimates the class action lawsuit of the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU), which requested compensation for damages of 3,000 euros (about $ 3,640 ) for each affected consumer whom it represented.
The magistrate also orders the subsidiary of the German automobile group to cease its “unfair” conduct and also orders it to pay the costs, with an express declaration of recklessness.
During the trial, held in February 2020, the Spanish subsidiary of Volkswagen dissociated itself from the trick because, given its status as an importer of the group’s vehicles, it did not intervene in the manufacturing process.
However, he ruled out that the “software” installed in them manipulated the data on polluting emissions and asked that the situation in Europe not be compared with the “dieselgate” that was uncovered in 2015 in the United States and that worldwide has affected 11 million engines.
Arguments that were rejected during the hearing by the consumer association, which assured that Volkswagen Spain acted “against the environmental policy of saving and efficiency” with which the company “won the sympathy of the average consumer” and snatched sales from your competitors.
Now the head of the court, Carlos Nieto, considers that the installation in these engines of a computer program “that offered an untrue image of polluting gas emissions” is an unfair practice.
Specifically, this “software” camouflaged “its true conditions” and simulated “the maintenance of high power levels and reduced consumption while publicly transmitting the idea of a significant reduction in fuel consumption and polluting gas emissions”.
Among the proven facts of the sentence -to which Efe has had access-, the magistrate refers to the verdict handed down last year in which the Supreme Court of Spain sentenced Seat, as a member of the German automobile group, to compensate with 500 euros (about $ 610) to one affected by moral damages.
The judge also recalls that the German manufacturer has already reached an agreement to compensate the owners of the affected vehicles in Germany, “committing to pay between 1,350 and 6,250 euros (between 1,640 and 7,600 dollars) as of May 5.”
In his opinion, “at this stage of the so-called ‘dieselgate scandal'” it is an “irrefutable fact” that Volkswagen “developed and installed” software capable of detecting the performance of emission homologation tests and activating a mode of operation in these vehicles. engine “which for years falsified the results of the test for nitrogen oxide particles.”
However, the judge limits the list of affected persons represented by the OCU from the initial 7,542 to 5,444, by limiting the compensation to those whose vehicles were imported and distributed by the defendant and present the incidence in their engines.
The sentence also agrees the cessation of this practice since, in view of the evidence, there is no certainty that the company has completely ended them, nor that “they will not be repeated in the future.”
This measure does not try to condemn the group to a “permanent suspicion”, clarifies the judge, who regrets that he has not used “the same zeal” to provide “more conclusive evidence” on the disappearance of the manipulations than to deny the trickery and the compensation to those affected.
Sources of the Volkswagen group have advanced to Efe that an appeal against this sentence will be presented, while the OCU celebrates that “justice has finally been done”, although it warns that this “scandal” will not end “until all European consumers have been compensated. “


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First-mover digital and customer-focused companies across Europe to congregate in Frankfurt in March 2023
Leading digital and customer-focused companies in Europe will gather at this year’s World Class Digital Transformation & Innovation 2023 networking-business conference, held on the 15th and 16th of March in Frankfurt, Germany. Following the success of more than ten previous editions of the Digital Transformation conferences across Europe and the Americas, this will be World Class Business Leaders Institute’s most comprehensive digital conference ever. Key business leaders from around the world will gather to discuss the latest practices and learnings from their digital journeys.
Frankfurt will see the participation of first-mover companies from countries such as Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Lithuania, Ireland, Hungary, and Italy. Representatives from international corporations such as Nestle, Siemens Healthineers, Heineken, Deichmann, Vinted, Holcim, Knauf, Metro.digital, and Western Union will speak at the event.


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It was AT&T's turn earlier this week, and now it's Verizon's. Big Red has confirmed that its edition of the BlackBerry Z10 will be in stores on March 28th, just a week after it surfaces at its first major US carrier. Pricing will remain the same $200 on a contract, although Verizon has a decided edge for fans of variety: it'll have an American exclusive on the white model, albeit with conspicuous branding. Pre-orders start March 14th at both Verizon itself (starting from 8AM) and Best Buy, so those who've embraced Hubs and Peeks can commit to a Z10 very quickly.
*Verizon has acquired AOL, Engadget's parent company. However, Engadget maintains full editorial control, and Verizon will have to pry it from our cold, dead hands.


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With help from Doug Palmer
Editor’s Note: Morning Trade is a free version of POLITICO Pro Trade’s morning newsletter, which is delivered to our subscribers each morning at 6 a.m. The POLITICO Pro platform combines the news you need with tools you can use to take action on the day’s biggest stories. Act on the news with POLITICO Pro.
— The lasting trade legacy of the Covid-19 pandemic could be shorter supply chains and a more regional approach to trade as companies and governments look to overcome foreign reliance during times of crisis.
— Customs and Border Protection backtracked on guidance that would give importers more time to pay tariffs on a case-by-case basis, as the administration continues to weigh broader tariff relief.
— Medline Industries, one of the largest medical supply companies in the country, said tariffs remain on key imports that could help in the fight against the coronavirus.
IT’S FRIDAY, MARCH 27! Welcome to Morning Trade, where your host participated in his first virtual happy hour yesterday. Got any other ideas for virtual socializing? Let me know: [email protected] or @abehsudi.
TRADE IN A POST CORONAVIRUS WORLD: Shorter supply chains. Domestic manufacturing requirements. Export restrictions. All these things could be the norm in a world after a major pandemic that has emboldened economic nationalists and raised alarm from free-traders.
“I think the direction of travel is pretty clear, that supply chains are unlikely to be getting longer and more global in coverage. If anything, they’re more likely to become more regional and shorter in distance,” said Simon Evenett, an economist at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland who has been keeping track of the global trade response to the pandemic.
The shortening of future supply chains may be a product of corporations seeking to avoid “location risk” as much as they are a result of government policies that seek to safeguard against future crises, but deeper trade restrictions in the near term could prove to be more sinister.
Export restrictions on medical supplies crucial for the fight against the pandemic have in recent days given way to new policies restricting food shipments in the face of panic buying. Vietnam has stopped exporting rice and Kazakhstan and Russia placed restrictions on grains and other staples.
“All this leads to some potential uncertainty about food supply later in the year. If more countries start worrying about their own food supplies, and protect what’s within their own borders, then countries relying on trade may face real shortfalls later in the year,” said Tim Benton, a research director at the London-based Chatham House think tank.
A delicate balance: Whoever occupies the White House in 2021 and beyond will face the challenge of pursuing a trade policy that balances the need for domestic health and security vs. the global economy. G-20 leaders on Thursday provided a careful response committing to “facilitate international trade” and coordinate a response that avoids unnecessary interference with traffic and trade.
“Emergency measures aimed at protecting health will be targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary,” the statement said.
Still, the Trump administration has already shown it’s likely to use the crisis as reason to double down on policies that aim to shift supply chains back to the U.S. if the president wins another four years.
"We need to fundamentally review our supply chains and make sure that we know those supply chains and have control over them for moments just like this," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on "The Hugh Hewitt Show." That includes reducing reliance on China for pharmaceuticals, rare earth minerals, nuclear equipment and "a host of other things that are really central to American security," he said.
CBP BACKTRACKS ON EASING TARIFF PAYMENTS: U.S. Customs and Border Protection put out a pretty clear signal Thursday that tariff relief may not be on the horizon.
This message is to "notify the trade community that CBP is no longer accepting requests for additional days for payment," CBP said in a Cargo Systems Messaging Service bulletin. The advisory came less than a week after CBP said it would give importers, on a case-by-case basis, more time to pay tariffs, taxes and fees because of the pandemic.
The updated guidance comes as the administration continues to weigh whether it will grant broader tariff relief amid the unfolding economic crisis caused by the coronavirus. U.S. lawmakers and businesses are pushing for a 90-day grace period on payments of all tariffs.
DPA IS ON THE DL FOR NOW: The Trump administration is pushing back against pleas from governors and medical professionals to use the Defense Production Act to alleviate shortages of masks, gloves, ventilators and other crucial medical equipment, insisting the private sector is stepping up.
Adm. Brett Giroir, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, on Thursday defended the administration’s decision to keep DPA in its back pocket, saying the federal government poured supplies into New York — providing the state with everything it needs, including masks and ventilators.
Manufacturers ‘agnostic’: “I’m completely agnostic on this front,” National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons said during a call with reporters on Thursday.
“We are producing as much as we possibly can, and whether DPA is in effect or not, manufacturers are going to be compelled to do the right thing because we already are,” Timmons said, adding that he welcomes anything in DPA that could be helpful to manufacturers. He noted that the law includes provisions that potentially “might provide funds or grants or loans to manufacturers that are repurposing their facilities."
Pressure is growing: More than 100 former senior national security officials signed a statement on Wednesday urging the administration to use the law to ramp up production of medical supplies. Even traditional allies of the administration’s trade and manufacturing policies say the law needs to be used to produce more ventilators.
“America’s manufacturers stand ready to produce needed medical hardware,” Dan DiMicco, chairman of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, said in a statement. “Yet we’ve heard troubling reports that some multinational ventilator companies are sending supplies to other countries and opposing the use of the Defense Production Act (DPA) during this shortage.”
Production delays: The four largest companies that produce ventilators in the U.S. are GE Healthcare, Medtronic, Allied Healthcare Products and Philips. Medtronic announced earlier this week it would double its production, but the virus has disrupted supply chains in other countries.
“In one particularly large country in Asia we have 50 percent of the employees actually able to get to the plant that actually makes circuit boards to go into our ventilators, not a good situation,” said Trevor Gunn, vice president for international relations at Medtronic.
MEDLINE SAYS TRUMP TARIFFS STILL AFFECTING SOME IMPORTS: Like other American companies, Medline Industries was caught up in President Donald Trump's trade war with China, leading to duties of up to 25 percent on many of its imported products.
USTR recently granted many exemptions to those tariffs, but the largest privately held U.S. medical equipment provider said some items that could be used to fight the coronavirus pandemic are still being taxed.
Those include certain surgical drapes, hospital plastics, alcohol prep pads, anesthesia circuit accessories, needles and syringes, and reusable gowns, the company said.
Jim Pigott, divisional group president at Medline, told the Trump administration at a July 2018 USTR hearing that the company could not accommodate increased duties on its Chinese-made medical equipment without cutting into its profits and raising costs for its customers.
"Over time, the tariffs will cause price increases for hospitals, surgery centers, nursing homes, and individual consumers who purchase our health care products," Pigott said.
MEET SECTION 232’S OPPOSITE: SECTION 318: After two years of raising tariffs under Section 232 of a 1962 trade law and Section 301 of a 1974 piece of legislation, Trump could actually remove duties to fight the coronavirus pandemic under Section 318 of the Tariff Act of 1930, the Congressional Research Service noted in a policy brief.
That Depression-era legislation allows the president to authorize the Treasury secretary to waive tariffs on food, clothing, medical, surgical and other supplies for use in emergency relief work during times of national emergency, CRS said.
U.S. lawmakers and businesses have been pushing for a 90-day grace period on payments of all tariffs, including the ones Trump imposed on imports of steel and aluminum and goods from China. However, Trump seemed to rule out that option last week.
— The Trump administration is nearing a rule that would further restrict U.S. semiconductor exports to China, Reuters reports.
— The U.S.-China blame game for the coronavirus pandemic is hampering efforts to respond to the global crisis, The Wall Street Journal reports.
— The European Commission asked EU member states to loosen restrictions on air cargo, POLITICO Pro reports.
— Trump has gone back and forth on whether to blame China or praise the country for its handling of the coronavirus outbreak, POLITICO reports.
— China will close its borders to most foreign travelers, POLITICO Pro reports.
— Chinese exports of essential hospital supplies declined 15 percent in the first two months of 2020, but it was not simply a case of China hoarding the equipment for itself or retaliating against the Trump trade war, according to a new Peterson Institute report.
— The U.S. government pulled back from a $1 billion ventilator deal, The New York Times reports.
THAT'S ALL FOR MORNING TRADE! See you again soon! In the meantime, drop the team a line: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] and [email protected]. Follow us @POLITICOPro and @Morning_Trade.


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It isn’t exactly a secret anymore that Microsoft is holding a big Windows 8 launch event in New York tomorrow, and indeed, we’ll be there covering the whole thing. If you want to follow along as we report the news, you’re in luck (at least partially), as Microsoft will be live streaming its keynote from the event. The keynote is scheduled to kick of at 11:15 AM Eastern tomorrow, so be sure to write that down if you want to watch it live.
However, Microsoft won’t be streaming the whole event – just the keynote, which means that the stream will be live for just about an hour tomorrow morning on Microsoft’s website. That’s where we come in – we’ll be at the event all day long checking out Windows 8, Microsoft’s Surface RT tablet, and hardware from Microsoft’s partners, so after the cameras shut down, be sure to keep it at SlashGear for more information for the show.
Microsoft has some pretty big weeks ahead of it. This launch event comes one day before Windows 8 will become available to the general public on October 26. It’s that day that Microsoft will be launching Surface RT across the country as well, and the company is even opening a number of temporary stores in cities around the US to sell the tablet and its new operating system.
Then, we have Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 launch event next week on October 29, which comes the day before Microsoft BUILD 2012 kicks off. It’s a great time to be a Microsoft fan, and we’re excited to see all that Microsoft has to offer in the coming days and weeks. To find out more about Microsoft’s incoming products before the event kicks off tomorrow, be sure to have a look at our Windows 8 and Surface RT reviews!


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The situation is far different in Marquette, the peninsula's largest city. V.I.O., the helmet camera company, sells, markets and distributes its products online to customers in dozens of countries from its downtown office. Its website, operated by a local company, features videos made by an extreme snowmobiler streaking down mountain slopes and troops in a firefight with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
"People are quite shocked to learn we're operating from the U.P., especially if they have any familiarity with the area," sales associate Patrick Myron said. "This is where we want to be, this is where we want to raise our families. Without reliable Internet, we couldn't do it."
The web also is a lifeline for Getz's Clothiers down the street. Founded in the 1880s, the retailer's shelves are packed with clothes for outdoor work and play — coats, boots, jeans, jogging suits. The venerable store went online in 1997, and now generates two-thirds of its sales from the Internet. Its online staffers are Northern Michigan University graduates.
"People see us online and it helps get them through the door," manager Dennis Mingay said.
Some of the area's web-based workers are telecommuters whose companies are based in other states.
"My co-workers look longingly at what I do and wish they could work from home," said Jim Argeropoulos of Marquette, an engineer for a Wisconsin educational software company.
Stu Bradley, a retired Air Force colonel once stationed at a now-defunct base near Marquette, returned to the area after retiring and later served as the city's mayor. Nowadays he's among the founders of a website where small vendors from across the peninsula advertise wares ranging from knives to jewelry to maple syrup.
"We're really an example of what the president is talking about," Bradley said. "We wouldn't be in existence if it wasn't for the web."
Getz's Clothiers: http://www.getzs.com
V.I.O. Inc.: http://www.vio-pov.com
Northern Michigan University: http://www.nmu.edu
Marquette Backcountry Ski: http://www.marquette-backcountry.com
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Agora.io and Unity Make Video Chat Simple for Game Developers
Live video chat is part of the gaming experience, so Agora.io and Unity Technologies are making it easier for game developers to add chats directly into their software.
Most Pay TV Operators Will Gain Subscribers and Revenue: Forecast
A report created by Digital TV Research finds that, for 505 operators in 135 countries, three-quarters will increase their subscribers between 2018 and 2024.
Quibi Sells $100M in Ad Inventory Well Ahead of April 2020 Launch
The mobile-only short form video network announced it has already taken in $100 million in upfront ad sales by selling category exclusives to major advertisers.
Amazon Rebrands Freedive as IMDb TV, Plans European Rollout
The ad-supported service will still be free, and new deals with Warner, Sony, and MGM are helping bolster its catalog with more recent blockbusters and catalog titles.
Comcast Advertising Creates Initiative for Addressable TV Ads
Addressable advertising will be coming to pay TV services in a big way, and Comcast Advertising is leading the charge.
Gracenote Creates Video Popularity Score to Deepen Engagement
Automating the process of identifying hot shows, entertainment data company Gracenote today unveiled the Video Popularity Score.
VidAngel Gets Potential Death Blow With $62.4M Judgment
A jury hit VidAngel with a $62.4 million fine for violating Hollywood studio copyrights by creating unauthorized reproductions from DVDs.
Tru Optik Launches Ad-Targeting Product for Political Advertisers
With the presidential election already underway, audience intelligence company Tru Optik launched Political Data Cloud, letting pollical advertisers reach targeted viewers.
Comscore Sees Trouble for vMVPDs as Growth Slows and Prices Rise
Pure-play virtual MVPD services are growing, but at a dramatically slower rate than they were last year, a report on OTT viewing habits shows.
MadHive and Inscape Partner to Blend OTT and Linear TV Ad Buys
Advertisers can run cross-platform media campaigns that serve linear and streaming viewers, benefiting from real-time analytics that let them optimize their placements.
Vimeo Announces Support for AV1 Codec, Starts With Staff Picks
Today, Vimeo announced that it now supports the AV1 codec, which it believes will let it deliver videos with a low bitrate and high visual quality.
Ad-Tech Firm Simulmedia Takes $29M in Series E Funding Round
The funding will help Simulmedia prepare for what it forecasts as a season of strong growth.
Wibbitz Shows Lightbox, a Customizable Video Editor for Websites
This API-driven video editor can be added to any public or internal website or application, letting customers or employees create videos online.
MediaPlatform Debuts Redesigned Enterprise Video Platform
Enterprise webcasting and video management company MediaPlatform debuts its reimagined enterprise video platform today, appropriately called NextGen.
OTT Revenue Growing By $17B This Year, Reaching $159B By 2024
Subscription services are the biggest piece of the pie, and have been since 2014. Between 2018 and 2024 SVOD revenues will climb by $51 billion.
Matrox Adds HLS Support to 4K Video Enterprise Encoder Lineup
In Q3 2019, small and medium-sized enterprise customers will be able to download software updates that provide HLS, IPv6, and fMP4 functionality.
Pay TV Subscribers Are Growing, But Revenues Are Falling Fast
The number of pay TV subscribers will grow by 380 million from 2010 to 2024, but total global revenues will fall by 14% to $177 billion during the same period.
Penthera Creates Dynamic Ad Solution for Downloaded Video
Downloaded movies and TV shows are currently ad-free, but they won't be for much longer if a new offering from Penthera catches on.
Global OTT Revenues to Grow to $72.8B U.S. by 2023: PwC Report
Streaming entertainment growth is increasing steadily in developed countries, but at a much more aggressive rate in less-developed areas.
Facebook Adds Templates, Fonts, Stickers to Video Creation Kit
For small businesses, creating online video ads is now easier, thanks to improvements Facebook announced to its Video Creation Kit.